Happy Birthday JD!

JD turned 3 years old on June 1st-Happy Birthday Bud! I can't believe JD is really that old...in my mind, 3 is the official end to baby/toddler hood. And honestly, I still see JD as my little baby in some ways. He loves to cuddle up in my arms when I come to check on him before heading to bed. He gives the sweetest hugs and kisses, usually with his hands pressed against my cheeks. If he accidently knocks heads with me or something, he will gently put his hand under my chin and very sincerely apologize. I'll always remember with JD, he said "zorry" instead of "sorry" for the longest time! I miss that "zorry mom, zorry" to this day. Here's a few things JD has accomplished in the last year:

1. JD talks. A lot. And most people don't know that because that's how JD exerts his terrible twos/three-sense-of-independence-and-stubborness: he refuses to talk to people. ;) Silly kid, just this morning I asked him to tell Jared what happened to his bed, and he refused for a good 20 minutes. In case anyone is wondering, his diaper massively exploded. As soon as we get settled in the new house, those diapers are down the tube. I digress...
   



2. JD knows all his letter and sounds. I have to admit, I think that is just plain old cool, especially since I didn't really do anything to promote his learning. He learns so much from being around Karianna, and the Leap Frog ABC video we have didn't hurt. He seriously loves letters, and I just think that is great.



3. JD still loves animals of any sort, especially the kind that could rip you to shreds. He got a shark torpedo for the pool from Grandma and Grandpa L and hasn't let it out of his sight for a second. He can still spend hours with two or three animal toys, fighting them back and forth!




4. JD is turning into a very involved brother. He wants to do everything Karianna does. At the same time, he wants to play with Jordan whenever he can, which Jordan kindly endures. He has gotten very adept lately at pulling Jordan away from anything he shouldn't be touching. I love that protective nature and I really hope it continues.




5. JD loves Jesus. He loved the Easter pagaent this year and I could just sense his...familiarity with the spirit. He is very intrigued with the Easter story in general. If you want to catch his attention, just spend 10 minutes drawing out each scene on a whiteboard, and you will have JD's rapt attention. That's how we passed sacrament meeting last week in relative silence. :)




6. JD is very loving and I am personally so glad he has not lost that very innocent quality. Oh, he can be rough and tumble when he wants! But I am so glad I still have my cuddler-snuggler-hugger of a son. I really cherish those moments with JD.



7. JD is a nursery pro, but I feel bad for whoever gets him as a sunbeam! He did some rec classes this year, and though he had fun, it was a challenge to get him to sit still instead of race around the room, so much so that I decided to stop doing them until he was ready for those types of activities. So when he hits that nursery room in January, I sure hope it doesn't turn into a sunbeam race track.
   

So happy birthday to this happy little boy that I love! We started off the birthday celebrations on June 1st. We headed to Toys 'R Us to buy some clearance gifts and to walk every single aisle-talk about being in kid heaven! JD got an uber-cool balloon since it was his birthday, and then we headed over to McDonalds for a quick lunch and play break. After an afternoon swim with cousins, we had a small family party with presents, candles, and cupcakes. Very relaxed and laid back in light of our recent move, but honestly, it was a great day. I truly enjoyed hanging out with the kids and celebrating JD. Everytime I told him it was his birthday, he broke into a huge smile-he gets it. He loved opening his presents and watching Karianna blow his candles out. If you ask him how old he is, he'll tell you (unless he is opting to ignore you). JD is such a special little boy and we love him to pieces! Birthday celebrations will continue over the next week or so, so stay tuned for the rest of the activities!